Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, has revealed that Nigeria now officially has the largest private jet fleet in Africa, with nearly 240 private jets currently operating in the country.
Keyamo made the disclosure during a strategic engagement with Canadian aircraft manufacturer Bombardier Inc. in Montreal, where discussions centred on establishing a major aircraft maintenance and service centre in Nigeria.
According to the minister, the proposed facility would reduce the huge amount of foreign exchange spent on maintaining aircraft abroad, create skilled jobs, strengthen local technical capacity and position Nigeria as a regional hub for business aviation services.
“Nigeria officially has the highest number of private jets in Africa with nearly 240 presently operating within the country, and so much foreign currency is repatriated weekly from the country for the maintenance of these aircraft,” Keyamo said.
The visit is part of the Federal Government’s broader aviation reform agenda, which includes partnerships with leading aircraft manufacturers to modernise Nigeria’s aviation sector and improve operational efficiency.
